Tangled Falls
by albinotanuki
Summary: (Tangled/Gravity Falls AU crossover) Dipper and Mabel were separated at birth. 13 years later, Dipper finds Mabel in a tower and promises to take her to see the floating lanterns for her birthday.
1. Chapter 1

This is the story of how I died, but don't worry, it's actually a very fun story and it's not just mine; it's also the story of my sister, Mabel, and it starts with a shooting star.

Now, once upon a time, a shooting star fell from the heavens, and from that star, grew a magic, golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured.

Centuries passed, and a hop, skip, and a boat-ride away, there grew a kingdom. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved king and queen, and the queen… well, she was about to have twins and she got sick… REALLY sick. She was running out of time and that's when people usually start to look for a miracle, or in this case, a magic golden flower.

My great uncle Stanford had discovered the magic flower years ago and had used it to cure him of the extra fingers he had since birth, but he could not share the shooting star's gift for it had been owned by a demon by the name of Bill Cipher, and the only way Great Uncle Ford could obtain the magic flower's power was to make a deal to never share it with anyone else.

My great uncle Ford's twin brother, Stanley, found out that he had been hoarding the flower and out of desperation, stole the flower to deliver it to the queen.

The magic of the golden flower healed the queen. Two healthy babies, a prince and princess, were born, both with golden hair. If you hadn't guessed already, those babies were my sister, Mabel, and me, and both my great uncles were related to the king and queen.

To celebrate our birth, our parents launched two flying lanterns into the sky, and for that one moment, everything was perfect… and then that moment ended.

When Bill Cipher found out what had happened to his precious flower, he threated my Great Uncle Ford's life unless he could steal at least one of us. Great Uncle Ford never wanted to separate us from our parents, but he knew his life was on the line. He decided, since we both had golden blonde hair, that it might have some of the flower's power in it, so in the middle of the night, he snuck into our bedroom with a pair of scissors. He grabbed some of my hair, but when it was cut, it turned brown and lost its power. So with no other choice, Great Uncle Ford stole Mabel and, just like that, GONE!

The kingdom searched and searched, but could not find my sister.

In order to keep me safe, my parents sent me off to live with my Great Uncle Stanley where we lived as commoners and ran a tavern together.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, in a hidden tower, Great Uncle Ford raised Mabel as his own while Bill watched. Bill had his new magic flower, but this time, he made sure that Great Uncle Ford was determined to keep her hidden, but the walls of that tower could not hide everything.

Each year on our birthday, my parents would release thousands of lanterns into the sky, in hope that one day, their lost princess would return.


	2. Chapter 2

13 years went by. As Mabel grew, so did her hair; about 70 feet, or 21.336 meters to be exact; long enough to climb up the tall tower from her window. My Great Uncle Ford made sure that Mabel's hair was never cut, for if it was, it would lose its power for good.

Mabel grew up to be highly energetic. She loved painting the walls, knitting sweaters, and whatever she could to keep herself entertained while inside the tower, but it was not enough, for she always wondered what life was like outside and seeing the lanterns come every night on our birthday made her wish to know where they came from. So, my sister decided to ask my Great Uncle Ford a favor.

"I want to see the floating lights!"

"The what?" asked Great Uncle Ford.

Mabel got up and shown my Great Uncle a mural she painted of the "floating lights"

"I was wondering if you take me to see them on my birthday."

"Oh, you mean the stars."

"They're not stars, Grunkle Ford; I've charted stars and they always remain constant."

"Actually. Mabel, stars DON'T always remain constant. The stars positions change by less than one arcsecond each year due to the Earth's orbit around the sun and they also change depending on the time of day. Also, new stars are being form every day, but due to the speed of light, we often don't witness that birth until billions of years after their formation."

"…Well…either way, these lights ONLY show up on my birthday, and I can't help feel like… like they're meant for me. I just want to see them up close so I know what they are."

"Mabel, you know why we stay up in this tower."

"I know, but—"

My Great Uncle sighed and placed his hand on Mabel's shoulder.

"Mabel, you're a sweet, fragile flower, and I don't want the outside world to crush you. I know all too well how cruel people can be towards those who are different. I want to promise me one thing, Mabel."

"Yes, Grunkle Ford?" asked Mabel

"Never ask to leave this tower again."

"…Yes, Grunkle Stan."

"I love you so much, Mabel."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."

Great Uncle Ford then kissed Mabel on the forehead.

"I better go do some grocery shopping, I'll be back shortly."

Great Uncle Ford then climbed down Mabel's hair and went into the forest when Bill Cipher magically appeared in front him.

"Well, well, well. I TOLD you this was going to happen! What kind of idiot kidnaps a child and tells them when their actual birthday is? Especially when that kid's parents are sending floating lanterns in the sky on that VERY DAY!"

"Well I tried tucking Mabel in early on her birthday, but she's got so much energy, it's hard to get her to sleep."

"You know, Sixer, for someone who's studied engineering and astrophysics, you sure are dumb."

Great Uncle Ford started storming off.

"Where are you going?" asked Bill.

"To get some parsnips. I figured I'd make Mabel her favorite soup to cheer her up."

And with that, he left.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sure you were all wondering where I came into the picture. Well, I had no idea I was a prince and I was getting pretty bored working at Grunkle Stan's tavern. I heard about a series of journal written by ArchDuke Stanford about the mysteries of the kingdom that was guarded in the Corona Castle Library. I knew I had to have it, but I also knew I needed help breaking in, so I asked a guy named Robbie for help, saying that the tavern wench, Wendy, would think he was cool if he helped with a break-in.

Robbie helped to lower me with a rope from the roof of the castle to grab the journals before the guards caught us and started chasing us into the forest. We came to a rocky hill and I asked him to help me up and did just that.

"Now help me up, Pines."

"Sorry," I said to Robbie, holding up the satchel carrying my journals, "But my hands are full."

I took off, running with the journals. I heard a rattling in the bushes. I stopped, thinking it was one of the guards, but instead, it was a pig. At first, I sighed in relief, but then the pig tried to grab my satchel. I tried pulling it away from the pig, but the satchel then flew onto a branch growing on a ledge. We both raced to the satchel before the branch broke and we both fell. Luckily, I survived, but also the pig survived, so I ran off to find a place to hide.

When I went into a cave entrance, my eyes widened to see a tall tower in a hidden valley on the other side. I decided if there was a place to hide, this would be the place. I looked around, but found no door to enter the tower, so with some arrows I borrowed from the guards who were shooting at me, I climbed the walls and into the window. I sighed in relief and open up my satchel to read my journals.

"Alone at last."

Before I could open any of the journals, I suddenly blacked out. When I woke up, I was tied up to a chair with… HAIR?! I didn't know what was going on. I saw a shadow approach to reveal a girl with long, blonde hair, gripping a frying pan, appearing to be using it as a weapon.

"Who are you and how did you find me?"

I was speechless. I tried to play it cool, but I couldn't. The girl then raised her frying pan at me.

"Who else knows of my location?"

"Listen, Blondie."

"Mabel."

Mabel? That's a weird name.

"Gesundheit." I replied, "I was in a situation, came across your tower, and—"

I looked around, seeing my satchel was gone.

"Where's my satchel?"

"I've hidden it. Some place where you'll never find it."

I eyed around the room to see where the girl put it and I saw a flowerpot.

"It's in that pot isn't it?"

I then blacked out again. I woke up again in excruciating pain.

"Okay, NOW it's some place you'll never find it."

"You know you REALLY shouldn't be hitting me in the head like that; I think I forgot all about Pythagorean Theorem with those concussions."

"The square root of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the square root of its sides."

Wow. I guess she isn't a dumb blonde after all.

"So what do plan to do with my hair? Cut it?

"What?"

"Sell it?"

"What?!"

"Crochet it into cute amigurumi animals?"

"No! All I want to do with your hair is get out of it!"

Mabel looked at me with deep suspicion.

"Alright, I'll make you a deal."

Deal? I wasn't sure what kind of deal she was proposing, but seeing her walk up to the wall to pull the curtain and revealing a mural of floating light in the sky gave me a bit of a clue.

"Do you know what these are?"

"You mean the lanterns they put out each year for the Lost Princess?"

"Well these lanterns come each year on my birthday. YOU will take me to them, bring me back home and then, only then, will I give you back your satchel."

Take her?! If I did that, the guards would arrest me at first sight.

"No can do. The kingdom and I are not in a compatible relationship.

"I don't know what brought you here. Fate, destiny."

"A pig."

"But I do know one thing."

Mabel tipped my chair forward to bring me closer to her.

"You can tear down this tower brick by brick but you'll never find your precious satchel."

"You promise?" You promise?

"Yes. And when I promise something, I NEVER break that promise. EVER!"

I sighed, "Okay, I'll take you to the lanterns."

So she untied me and we began to leave the tower. I climbed down with the arrows I had with me, and Mabel slid down her hair from the window. At first, she was scared to touch the ground, but when she did, oh boy, I started regretting everything.


	4. Chapter 4

The moment Mabel got her first taste with life outside the tower she was a mess. At first she was happy, and laughing, and singing songs out of nowhere, and the next minute she was panicking and crying with regret for leaving her home. One minute, she was rolling in the grass and swinging from trees with her hair, and the next she was hugging her legs rocking back in forth in worry. It was getting a bit annoying to be frank, so I decided to lay it on her, but in a way she didn't suspect.

"You know, I can't help but notice you seem a little at war with yourself here. I'm only picking up bits and pieces here. Overprotective Great Uncle, forbidden road trip, but let me ease your conscience. It's a part of growing up. A little rebellion, a little adventure, that's good; healthy even."

"You think?" asked Mabel.

"I know. You're WAY overthinking this. Does your great uncle deserve it? No. Would this break his heart and crush his soul, of course, but you JUST got to do it."

Mabel then starting to worry, clutching a lock of her hair.

"Break his heart?"

"Yes."

"Crush his soul?"

"Like a grape."

"He WOULD be heartbroken. You're right."

"I am, aren't I?" I said, "Alright, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm letting you out of the deal."

"WHAT?!"

"That's right. Lets just turn around, get you home, I get back my satchel, you get back an uncle/niece relationship based on mutual trust, and we part ways as unlikely friends."

I then started to lead Mabel back to her tower before she pushed away from me."

"NO! I am seeing those lanterns."

"OH COME ON! WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE TO GET MY SATCHEL BACK?!"

Mabel then pointed her frying pan at me.

"I will use this, and not just for making Dutch Baby."

There was a sudden shuffle in the bushes near by. Mabel then jumped up on my back in fear.

"What is it? Ruffians? Thugs? Have they come to get me?"

A tiny bunny then popped out from the bushes.

"Don't move. It can smell fear." I said.

"Sorry," said Mabel, "I guess I'm a little jumpy."

"Guess we should avoid ruffians and thugs then."

This gave me an idea.

"Hey, are you hungry? I know JUST the place you'll like."


	5. Chapter 5

Meanwhile, back at the tower, my Grunkle Ford looked frantically for Mabel, calling out her name.

"Mabel?! MABEL!"

Grunkle Ford looked behind the curtains, only for Bill Cipher to appear once more.

"Well, well, well. Didn't I say something like this was gonna happen?"

Grunkle Ford stood back witth cold sweat running down his neck. Before he was ready for Bill's ultimate punishment, something caught the corner of his eye from the staircase leading to my sister's room.

"WAIT!" said GRunkle Ford, running to the stairs.

"OH COME ON, I WAS WAITING FOR THIS!" shouted Bill in frustration.

Grunkle Ford pulled the board from one of the stairs and discovered my satchel. He looked inside and gasped in fear, discovering his own journals that he wrote were in there. Along with the journals, Grunkle Ford also found my "Wanted" poster and began to deduce that I took Mabel with me.

"Don't kill me yet, Bill; I have a plan."

Grunkle Ford then went into his room and pulled out a dagger.

"Oh good, we get to murder people!" shouted Bill in glee.

"We're not murdering anyone. I'm only taking this in self defense or if anyone tries to hurt Mabel."

"Aww, I really wanted to go on a killing spree. At least let me poses your body."

"No."

"You're no fun."


	6. Chapter 6

"Ah, here we are. _The Snuggly Ducktective."_ I said, showing Mabel over to my Grunkle's pub close by. "Perfect for someone like you. No ruffians or thugs to get scared by."

"Well, I DO like Ducktective." she replied.

"Yay!" I said with faux enthusiasm.

I opened the door.

"Garton, your finest table please!"

I saw the shock in Mabel's eyes.

"You smell that? That's bad man smell over there and over there is REALLY bad man smell. All over, it smells like the color brown. Of course, this is a high end place. Maybe we should take you ba-"

"I LOVE THIS PLACE!"

"WHAT?!"

I was shocked. I thought this place with all the scary thugs with sharp teeth and bad smell would frighten her, but she seemed to love it. It wasn't long until she was singing and dancing with all of them as if this were some extravagant musical we were in.

Soos, one of the pub thugs, came over.

"Wow. That girl is pretty entertaining. Kinda looks like you, Dipper."

I couldn't see any resemblance what so ever.

At that time, I didn't see my Grunkle Stan looking at Mabel, realizing she was the lost princess.

Suddenly, one of the thugs burst in.

"The guards are here! They're looking for Dipper!"

Uh oh. I knew I had to hide, so I grabbed Mabel and we hid behind the bar stand.

Suddenly, Grunkle Stan pointed to a hidden passage we can go to.

"Go. Live your dreams."

"I will." I said.

"Your dream stinks, Dipper. I was talking to her."

Mabel kissed Grunkle Stan on the cheek before we went underground.


End file.
